New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-06-22
FARM MAN AC;EMENI e.
Increasing the Productiveness Of.
r Soil by Raising and Plow-
ing Under Green Crops.
Timely Suggestions or Taking Up, Prun-
ing, and Transplanting Trees,
Bushes, and Vines
Green Manuring.

gpriate through their leaves valuable
substance from the air, and by their
roots bring to the surface equally valu-
able substances that are deep in the
earth. These plants By the process of
decay become humus OIL vegetable mold.
1t contains in addition to purely vege-
table matter much nitrogen, lime and
potash, and some SILICA in state of
minute subdivision. It has the power
of retaining moisture and of fixing
ammonia and carbonic acid. It ena-
bles the soil to produce a better class of
plants than those that have passed into
a state of decomposition. Most soils
when left to themselves naturally i'm
prove in fertility and productiveness
A reef formed by coral insects is soon
covered with vegetables of I'm inferior
sort, the seed being deposited BY pass
ing birds. This vegetation by its de-
cay improves the soil and enables it to
produce better class of plants. At
length the soil becomes so rich that
grain, potatoes, and many kinds of
fruit can be raised on it. In process OF
time it will produce vans, melons,
bananas, and pine-apples. Many coral
reefs and islands have become very
productive in this way, and have re-
ceived no fertilizng material from
without, except that deposited by birds.
The great lava beds formed during
he eruptions of volcanoes soon become
.ertile in the same way. The surface
Of the lava bed begins to disintegrate as
soon as it becomes cold by the action
,0E the elements. The next year seeds
carried on it by the winds find lodg-
lng-place, terminate, and plants are
produced. AS they decay a soil contain
ing considerable humus is formed.
Each successive year more vegetable
matter is left on the thin soil, that is
we'll supplied with the mineral matter
needed by plants. Soon the lava bed
becomes q productive Wheat-feld or a
vineyard. Islands thrown up in the
ocean and formed almost entirely of
sand and shefls soon cease to be barren
and unproductive. Seeds brought by
winds or birds take root and by their
decay furnish the elements OF fertility.
The same thing takes place when the
surface soil has been washed away from
, ~
Is formed by the operations of nature.
Frost acts an important part in pulver-
izing the clay, and roots force them
selves through it, and when they decay
leave space enough through which the
water and air can circulate. Various
plants that live largely on air and wa
ter grow, decay, and make manure. Not
being harvested, they add to the fertil-
ity of the soil and soon put it in con-
dition to produce valuable crops.
Many farmers appear to think that
it is necessary for vegetable matter to
pass through the organs of digestion
of some animal before they become pos
sessed of any considerable fertilizing
value. The truth is the changes pro-
duced by the digestive organs add moth
ing to the plants and grain that are
eaten by animals. They are partially
decomposed by being masticated and
passed through the stomach and intes-
tines, so that they will rot easier and
become plaut food quicker. But moth
ing of value is added to them. On the
other hand, the most valuable portions
of them are taken away and become
parts Of the animal that eats them or
becomes milk or WOOL 1t is not neces-
sary to burn q plant in order to make
the potash in it available for plant food;
neither is it necessary to have it eaten
and vOided in order to secure the nitro
sgen and carbon it contains. If green
vegetables are buried in the soil they
soon decay, and nearly every portion of
them become available as plant food.
The easiest, as we'll as the cheapest,
way to- fertilize land is to pillow under
the pants that are produced on it.
This operation requires no harvesting,
hauling, and feeding out. 1t calls for
no expenditure of money. The work
can be done by the men and teams en-
ployed on the place and by the imple-
ment most often used in the field
Many farmers avail themselves of the
benefits of green manuring who seem
to be hardly aware OF the fact that they
practice this method of brin ging up the
fertility of their land. After they have
failed to raise good crops on old ground
they break up a piece OF pasture or
meadow land and secure good return
for their labor. They have pract:ced
one of the most common forms Of green
manuring. They have turned under
green grass ana growing fOots ana Sc
cured the plant food they contain.
They practice green manuring when
they pillow under the weeds and grass
ia a stubble OF grain field. A very COM
mon method Of bringing up the fertility
OF a piece Of land is to SOW it to red
clover, to NOW it one year, and to pillow
under the crop the next season. Asys-
tenn OF green manuring lately recon-
mended consists in sowing clover.seed
among the rows of corn after it is Gull
:ivated the last time and blowing under
the clover in time to fix the land for
corn the next season. Excellent re-
suits have been reported from this mode
of procedure, but the expense of the
clover-seed will prevent most farmers
from adopting this course. Its claimed
that the clover makes a very rapid
growth when sown among the hills Of
Il L, = e,fo1 III, IL